| Address |
| East Bay: El Cerrito Plaza Bart Station, Davis: Parking Lot 6 (Near the Art Building) |
| Departures |
| El Cerrito: 7:40 am |
| Davis 5:10 pm |
| [email protected] |
| Website |
| Coming soon! |
| Executive Director |
| Peter Brantley |
| Established |
| ~1985 |
Poolbusters Vanpool has been operating successfully for more than 30 years. We operate as an informal non-profit collective of faculty, staff and students providing transportation to UC Davis from the Bay Area. We rent a passenger van from Enterprise and calculate the cost each quarter that covers van rental, gas, payment for drivers and miscellaneous expenses. The van is cheaper and faster than the train, much more punctual, and arrives and departs directly from central campus.
Operation
The Vanpool operates Monday through Friday year-round, and observes most university holidays. There is no talking after the first 10 minutes on the trip to Davis, to allow riders to complete lecture preparation or other work. Quiet chatting is allowed on the way home – it is a very friendly atmosphere.
Mornings The vanpool leaves the El Cerrito Bart station at 7:40am and arrives at UC Davis campus at approximately 8:40am. There is a drop off on the South side of campus in front of the Robert Mondavi Institute for Food Science, and then at Old Davis Road and Hutchison Dr. before proceeding to UC Parking Lot 6 (southwest of the Art Building), where there is a vanpool reserved spot.
Evenings The vanpool departs from the parking space in UC Davis Parking lot 6 at 5:10pm and arrives at the El Cerrito Plaza Bart station at approximately 6:10pm.
Cost
Occasional Riders As of Spring 2023 the occasional rider fee is $25 each way. With cash accepted, exact change greatly appreciated. The van can fill up, so it is highly advised to contact the vanpool coordinator (email above) to signup to ride. This can offer an alternative to the Davis Berkeley Shuttle or Amtrak.
Frequent Riders/Members For those that would like to use the vanpool on a weekly basis, becoming a member offers a significant discount to the occasional rider fee. It is possible to commute as little as 1 day a week, or all 5. Signup is an academic quarter at a time, with the summer being more flexible. The Spring 2023 rate is $40 per day (round trip). Payments are through Paypal.
Vanpool Rules
The vanpool has been operating since ~1985 as a collective. We make the trip because of the collaborative efforts of riders, and the riders who came before us. We make this work together. Vanpool rules are for our shared safety and comfort.
